Power generating optical filter

Abstract

A power generating optical filter specially tuned to (1) transmit at least portions of selected wavelengths of incident light and (2) generate electrical power from absorbed portions of selected wavelengths of incident light.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A power generating optical filter including a transparent substrate; a first substantially transparent electrode disposed atop at least a portion of the substrate; a body of photovoltaic material adapted to generate electron hole pairs in response to the absorption of incident radiation, said body disposed atop at least a portion of the first electrode; and a second substantially transparent electrode disposed atop at least a portion of the body of photovoltaic material; the first and second electrodes and the body of photovoltaic material each fabricated to preselected thicknesses and from materials characterized by preselected indices of refraction for cooperatively establishing optical interference effects, whereby said filter transmits at least a portion of selected wavelengths of radiation incident thereupon substantially differing from wavelengths transmitted by that body of photovoltaic material alone; and optical tuning layer means for modifying the optical transmission of the filter.   
     
     
       2. A filter as in claim 1, wherein said optical tuning layer is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of magnesium fluoride, calcium fluoride, and silicon dioxide. 
     
     
       3. A filter as in claim 1, wherein said optical tuning layer is operatively disposed on said second transparent electrode. 
     
     
       4. A filter as in claim 1, wherein first and second electrodes are formed of a material selected from the group consisting of indium oxide, tin oxide, indium tin oxide, zinc oxide, and cadmium stanate. 
     
     
       5. A filter as in claim 1, wherein said photovoltaic body includes at least one layer of a silicon alloy material. 
     
     
       6. A filter as in claim 1, where said photovoltaic body includes at least one triad of layers, said triad comprising two layers of oppositively doped semiconductor alloy material having said layer of substantially intrinsic semiconductor alloy material interposed therebetween. 
     
     
       7. A filter as in claim 6, wherein said photovoltaic body includes a plurality of said triads of layers of semiconductor alloy material.